12 Things to Know Before You Start a Beauty Blog

If you’re as obsessed with beauty as we are (hint: we can’t get enough of it), you may have considered starting a beauty blog of your own. Blogs are a great way to share your experiences with new products, explain how to use your favorites, and connect with other beauty junkies. Before you put on your blogger hat, though, there are a few things you should know. We talked to 12 beauty bloggers who’ve paid their dues in the industry, and each of them shared their best pieces of advice for aspiring bloggers.

“You should really identify your goals before starting. Are you doing it for catharsis, free lipstick, to be a business? Whatever it is, make sure you fulfill that goal, otherwise you’ll have a time, energy, and money dump on your hands. Also, make sure you aim to spread some positivity. Make women feel good about themselves. The world needs more of that.”— Bryce Gruber, TheLuxurySpot.com

“It’s important to understand that most skin care products take weeks to test and a beauty blogger must be committed to the process in order to truly give a credible write up. I fear that people jump into this game thinking only about the free samples and not about what it means to provide accurate content for their audience.”— Vera Sweeney, Lady and the Blog

“The main thing I would say to new bloggers is find your niche! Decide what you want to focus on. If you are too broad you won’t stand out from the masses. When I started there were very few sites for ‘older’ women and I stepped into that space. It’s easier to get noticed when you are focused.”

— Paula Wade, oldergirlbeauty.com“Follow and talk to other bloggers in the business that you admire. Leave comments and engage you never know where a relationship like that might lead you.”— Lianne Farbes, TheMakeupGirl.net

“Make sure you have a clear voice and unique point of view. There are literally thousands of beauty blogs so if you want to be successful, you need to make yours stand out.”
— Jamie Stone, QueenoftheQuarterLifeCrisis.com

“When starting a beauty blog, make sure your passion and intentions come from a place of sharing knowledge, and advice. If you are looking to simply review free makeup, than you will be lost in the big sea of beauty blogs. You need find your voice, include video and great pictures. It needs to be unique. Beauty blogs are no longer about product reviews. Think of your site as an online magazine.”— Christina Farrell, Themakeupblogger.com

“It will take over your life. Reviewing products requires days of testing, not to mention finding the right images and writing plus editing a piece you are pleased with.” — Marina Klimasiewfski, Makeuplovesme.com

“Before starting a beauty blog, you really need to know that it is a ton of work and it’s not all about samples. Between email, social media, testing products, shooting products and then actually blogging, I spend at least eight hours a day on my beauty blog. I am privileged to work with some amazing brands, but I have been beauty blogging for over 12 years. I still don’t even get all of the samples I want; they are extremely limited. For you to start a beauty blog to think you will get all of the makeup you want is the wrong reason to start. And yes, sometimes, there are beauty mishaps too. I have burned my skin, broken out my skin, fried my hair and turned it orange – all for the love of my beauty blog.”— Teri Cosenzi, beautifulmakeupsearch.com

“Find your niche! In some industries imitation is the ultimate form of flattery, but beauty blogging is not one of them! Unless you have a unique perspective or angle, you will always be a mile behind the blog that’s already doing it (and will likely only annoy the existing blogger). It’s a saturated market so make sure you’re bringing your unique edge to the equation.”— Alexis Wolfer, TheBeautyBean.com

“To stand apart from the thousands of beauty blogs that are already well established and have significant numbers, be creative, and consider what your individual voice will be on beauty topics. If you have zero training as a writer, take a course on how to blog or join a networking group of bloggers to get the basics down. And always check your facts, spelling, and proper brand names and websites to maintain your professionalism.”— Wendy Lewis, BeautyintheBag.com

“Don’t be a sample whore. That’s what gives bloggers a bad name and sends a red flag that you’re in it for the wrong reasons. Be selective when you request a product and make sure having it in hand will make a difference in your coverage.”— Liesa Goins, freelance beauty editor